In 2021, the UN’s COP 26 event in Glasgow brought focus to the global challenge of climate change. Conference notes the launch of UNISON’s report Getting to net zero in UK public services: The road to decarbonisation on 8 November 2021 and health branches’ ongoing involvement in the accompanying consultation. We look forward to engaging […]
Conference motions
Conference is alarmed by the force with which Black communities have been hit by the pandemic and how this has highlighted the long-term impact of racism on people’s physical and mental health, leaving them more vulnerable to COVID-19. Conference welcomes the union’s Race for Equality campaign that has provided materials for and equipped branches to […]
Conference notes that the Workplace Disability Equality Standard is a list of ten metrics which measure the extent to which health Trusts in England deliver disability equality in the workplace. The first WDES report, covering 2019, was published in March 2020. The second WDES report, covering 2020, was significantly delayed and was not published until […]
Administrative and clerical staff are at the heart of making the NHS effective, efficient, and friendly. But for many years admin staff have been under attack. Some staff have had vital tasks removed from their job descriptions, resulting in downbanding, others have taken on more responsibility or skills but have not seen their pay increase […]
Conference is concerned that even before the COVID-19 pandemic the growing pressures on the NHS from the Tory-led government’s unrealistic targets and cuts, growing staff shortages and growing pressure on individual NHS staff members from the cumulative impact of austerity and the pandemic has taken us to breaking point. Despite the continued efforts of our […]
Conference is deeply concerned by the race to the bottom approach that is being taken across the country around pay and conditions for NHS bank work. Although, it is not the solution to the ever-growing staff crisis in the NHS, it is recognised that the flexibility that bank working arrangements provides is beneficial to some […]
Just and Restorative Culture is an employer initiative being rolled out through NHS England, focused around resolving cases at the informal level and reducing stress for those involved. The basic idea around Just Culture is to focus on the wider, systemic issues as opposed to the individuals. It began as a way of approaching patient […]
Conference notes that the NHS employs over 1.3 million staff who are not professionally registered. They are valuable and necessary to the provision of safe patient care. “Nursing, midwifery and care staff, working as part of wider multidisciplinary teams, play a critical role in securing high quality care and excellent outcomes for patients” (Excerpt from […]
This conference believes that Freedom to Speak up policies and guardians in the NHS is a positive step toward improving quality and transparency within the NHS. Recent cases in private care homes and hospitals demonstrate that there is a need for similar roles and processes to be rolled out in the private sector that is […]
Conference notes the current NHS uniforms provided to emergency crews by most NHS Ambulance Trusts are not fit for purpose: • Too hot in summer, • Too cold in the winter • Not designed or suitable for different genders. The majority of uniforms are varying shades of green which blend into the background contrary to […]
Conference notes that across the UK, NHS Hospital and Ambulance staff have been performing under incredible pressures due to the Pandemic and that over-crowded wards prevents emergency departments from moving patients’ forwards. This over-crowding also prevents NHS Ambulance crews from bringing their patients into the hospitals; instead, the crews remain outside with their often critically […]
NHS staff have a significant role to play in helping the NHS to achieve its net zero emissions target by 2040 and we welcome the work that has been taking place which highlights how staff such as AHPs, healthcare science and pharmacy technicians can support environmental sustainability. If anything, COP26 has demonstrated just how ill […]
Conference welcomes the work by Health Education England on developing the role of Allied Health Professions Support Workers. Their AHP support workforce programme has been established to provide national leadership and support on recognising, developing, and expanding the non-registered AHP workforce. Conference also welcomes the work that UNISON has been doing jointly with the professional […]
Conference is aware of the significant financial cuts in our Healthcare services in all four UK nations in at least the past three decades. Conference notes that where new facilities have been built, they have generally maximised the amount of clinical space but have minimised the amount of space allocated for other areas including changing […]
Conference recognises that a lot of work has been done in all 4 countries of the UK to raise awareness of Gender-Based Violence as a public health issue and to keep it on the agenda at a strategic level. Gender-Based Violence is an umbrella term that encompasses a spectrum of abuse experienced mostly by women […]